Below normal max temperatures likely in northern plains from March to May, says IMD

The weather department said that maximum temperatures are predicted to remain "below normal" in the northern plains during the March to May period.

Maximum temperatures are predicted to remain "below normal" in the northern plains, including Punjab, parts of Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, during the March to May period, the India Meteorological Department said on Tuesday.

"Above normal maximum temperatures are most likely over many areas in western and adjoining central India, northwest India and northernmost parts of northeast India," it said.

However, below normal maximum temperatures are likely over most parts of Peninsular India, east and northeast India as well as the northern plains, the IMD said.

The number of heat waves in the Indo-Gangetic plains is likely to be lower than normal during the period.

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"The probability of occurrence of heat waves over west-central and parts of northwest India will be higher during summer, while heat waves will be comparatively lesser in the Indo-Gangetic plains," IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said.

"The maximum temperatures are likely to remain above normal in Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, major parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat and adjoining areas of southwest Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra," he said.